Sailormoon: Millennial Earth
by NonchalantGirl
Summary: Using elements of the manga and anime, this takes place after Stars. Mamoru goes back to resume his studies in America, and the new Millennium approaches with winter lingering. Is this a new foe? All characters belong to Naoko, unless mine. Part 3 up!
1. Prologue

**Sailormoon: Millennial Earth -- A Sailormoon Fanfic**

_**S**ailor Galaxia has been defeated, and the year 2000 has finally arrived. The Sailor Senshi have now joyfully returned to their normal lives, albeit a little clouded with the departure of Mamoru. He now goes to finish his last semester __of study abroad at Harvard -- his previouse semester having been sidelined. _ _But nothing ever stays quiet for long. Will the Sailor Senshi have to power up again as Winter seems to linger on? And who is this American girl that Mamoru has grown close to? What adventures await as the new Millennium nears?_ _ So begins the next installment of **S**ailor**m**oon. **M**illennial **E**arth.  
_

**(Author's Note**: This story takes place after the end of Sailormoon Stars (using elements of both the manga and anime).

**Prologue**

Dust motes danced through the sunlight filtering in through the small window of the attic. But the color belied any warmth that was to be obtained. Em stood in the empty attic, save for one lonely chest, and wrapped her arms around herself, trying not to let the emptiness get to her. Had Mom known she was going to die? she asked herself. She had come home early for winter vacation because of her mother's death. She had found the house neat and clean. Things that had been in storage for as long as she could remember had been given to charities, which she knew of because of old receipts dated a few months earlier. "She had to have known," she whispered, and slowly made her way to the chest.

This was the only thing remaining in the attic left to be taken out. Not that there was much to begin with, but Em figured that her mother must have grown too tired to continue her cleaning. She sighed. "Oh, mom, why didn't you say anything?" New tears sprang up in her eyes, red from days of tears. She wondered why she hadn't felt anything was wrong. "Too caught up in myself!" she berated herself. Her Senior year in college. She'd be graduating in May, and this past fall semester had been busy with those things that she would never get to experience again as a student -- a beautiful fall season on a college campus as a student, Homecoming, the Halloween social, the Winter dance. But she would now trade all those things to have her mother back.

Em slid to the floor by the chest and wept. The emptiness began to creep up on her -- something she had never known. Even when her father had died years ago, her mother had still been there. Em didn't have any close relatives, which she hadn't minded growing up, but now she wished for more. "Please! I don't want to be alone. Mother!" she wailed.

Em gasped as she felt a warmth envelope her, seeming to come from below. A voice as many voices whispered to her. '_Be still, Daughter. Mother. Your final wish is beginning to take fruit. Take heart. You are never alone. The other half waits for you._'

Em blinked to find her tears gone and her cheeks dry. She knew she had heard a voice. And she also knew it was not her mother, and yet, it felt like it. "Who are you?" she asked the empty room. No answer came. She waited a few moments, and sighed. "Just your imagination, Em." She was about to get up to her feet and start dragging the chest to the stairs leading down from the attic, when she felt the urge to look through the chest.

She knew the chest. It contained some of her childhood things, but for some reason her mother had always kept it in an out-of-the-way place. She lifted the lid, more dust motes flying up, like fairies in a dance. She rummaged through, finding blankets, dolls, and scrapbooks. She took everything out and was disappointed that there wasn't more. She almost felt like there was. She carefully sat with a scrapbook and thumbed through it. No baby pictures. Her mother had said those had burned in a fire a long time ago. Somehow, that didn't feel quite right. All of a sudden, the top to the chest fell with a hollow thud. Em's hand flew to her chest in fright, but she quickly calmed down. She then thought a moment. She gently opened the top again and let it fall. Again the hollow thud, but this time she picked up what she thought she had heard before -- a light tinkling, like jewelry. She looked into the chest again to see if she had missed something. It was empty. That's when she noticed that the bottom of the chest was a different color wood than the rest. Her eyes narrowed as she examined it. She chewed on her lower lip for awhile, thinking. She let her fingers trail over the chest, and then, getting up, she heaved it over. The false bottom splintered and cracked from the stress. She reached back into the chest, carefully pulling up the wood. The rest sighed freely from its surroundings, and she laid it aside.

Her eyes went wide as she beheld a simple bound notebook and a small, blue velvet pouch, partially opened, with what looked like a silver necklace falling out. "That's what must have been tinkling," she mused. She reached down, and slid the contents of the pouch into her hand. The necklace slid through her fingers like water as a silver pendant rested in her hands. It was oval shaped, but curved in and out in a simple design. In the middle, a simple rose was engraved. She let a finger run over its smooth, cold surface, and then she hit a small bump on the side. She smiled slightly. It was not a pendant, but a locket. She tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge. She didn't want to break it, so she stopped trying, and instead, picked up the notebook. She opened it and smiled wistfully as her mother's familiar handwriting stared back at her. She began to read.

_"A child appeared on our doorstep today. Is she the answer to our prayers? We've given up hope of children, and could never afford some of the advances in medicine that could have helped us conceive. But this lovely child, with eyes the color of the deep sky, and hair an odd shade, almost lavender, like that of the blush of the rarest orchid. A silver pendant hanging off of a silver necklace is the only clue to her, I think, but I can't seem to get it open. And she only looks at me with those eyes and keeps repeating 'Earth. Mother. Earth. Mother.' I don't know what that means, but we've taken to calling her EM. We've contacted the police..."_

Em swallowed as she stared at the words on the page. She shook her head in disbelief and continued on to the next pages.

_"We adopted Em today. Such joy fills my heart, for this precious little girl seems like a gift to me. No one ever came to claim her. I do not think I can tell her all of this. How would I feel that no one had claimed me? Perhaps they thought a child with lavender hair was deformed... Odd how nobody comments on that. The way people are, I was sure they would comment on it."_

Em let a hand slide over her hair. She knew it was lavender, and yet no one had ever teased her about it. They had made fun of her hairstyle, usually her long hair pulled back, except for two long, curled locks falling on either side of her face freely. But never the color. She then stopped as the words on the page finally hit home. She had been adopted. And worse. No one had claimed her. Her mother was right. "But she really wasn't my mother..." she sighed. Apparently, no one was. _'Child. Mother. You are all._'

She snapped her eyes shut. The voice again. But then the sensation of it was gone. Hadn't she read something about this, about those going through depression? But, she knew that wasn't it. As sure as she knew her mother, or that woman that she knew as her mother was dead, she knew that voice was real. However odd. She flipped to the last page and only saw a few words written, almost as if in haste:

_"The pendant is the key. She cannot know. This and it will be put up. I doubt she'll ever see these … "_

In frustration, Em threw the notebook across the room, startling a moving man as he was walking up the stairs to the attic.

"Uhm, Miss, we've loaded everything up. You said you wanted this loaded into your truck," he said, pointing to the chest.

Em looked at him, a slow blush creeping up her cheeks. What a child she must seem, throwing things across rooms. She sighed and shook her head, trying not to let the tears in her eyes fall. "No, jus- just put it all in with the rest of the stuff to take to storage." She then looked at the pendant resting by the blue velvet pouch. Her fingers bent to it, slowly caressing, and then her hand took it up, gripping it fiercely. "Except this," she whispered. "This is the key to who I am."

"Miss?"

She blinked at the man several times. "Nothing. Please make sure that everything is loaded up." She walked past him, staring at the pendant, and walked down the stairs.

She looked around one final time, through the large empty house that she grew up in. What memories she had, now tainted slightly. She knew her mother loved her, but she wondered why she had never said anything. "I would have liked to have known, Mom." The house seemed to sigh. She walked out the front door, locking it behind her. The movers had already left with the last remaining things to put in storage. That's where she wanted to leave everything forever. But, she would have to deal with it sometime. She was thankful school was starting soon, and she would have to busy herself with that.

A cool gust of wind swept by, making the windchime hanging from the front porch dance slightly with its light tinkling to accompany it. She smiled lightly, remember many evenings spent on the porch, listening to that wind chime. She then sighed. "May you give happy memories to another one, dear friend." And with that, she walked off the porch, and to her car.


	2. Part 1

**Sailormoon: Millennial Earth -- A Sailormoon Fanfic**

**_S_**_ailor Galaxia has been defeated, and the year 2000 has finally arrived. The Sailor Senshi have now joyfully returned to their normal lives, albeit a little clouded with the departure of Mamoru. He now goes to finish his last semester __of study abroad at Harvard -- his previouse semester having been sidelined. _ _But nothing ever stays quiet for long. Will the Sailor Senshi have to power up again as Winter seems to linger on? And who is this American girl that Mamoru has grown close to? What adventures await as the new Millennium nears?_ _ So begins the next installment of **S**ailor**m**oon. **M**illennial **E**arth._

**(Author's Note**: This story takes place after the end of Sailormoon Stars (using elements of both the manga and anime).

**Part 1**

Winter was still prevalent as Chiba Mamoru walked through the campus of the American university. Because of Galaxia he had not been able to attend some time back and had gotten special permission to attend this time. Usagi hadn't wanted him to go, but he had told her that it was a great opportunity and that it was a chance in a lifetime. Besides, this time they promised to keep in constant contact so that nothing like what had happened before would happen again. He hated leaving her, because he knew that he wouldn't be able to help her in her times of need. But she was growing up. One day she would be Neo-Queen Selenity, Queen of Crystal Tokyo. She needed to learn to do things on her own, to stand strong. And, of course, she had her protectors. The Senshi would put their own lives on the line for her. Especially Rei. He laughed. He knew they seemed to not get along, but that's because they cared for each other very much. Rei didn't want to see Usagi come to any harm. Mamoru knew, just like Rei, that Usagi need more growing up to do. Her destiny required it.

Occasionally he could feel twinges pulling him towards Japan. Those were the times he knew his Usako had transformed into Sailormoon. He sighed softly. Only a few months and he would return to her, for he was only here for one semester. He broke from his reverie as a scream pierced the winter air. He ran to see what was the matter.

His eyes widened at what he encountered: a young college coed, perhaps around his age, was being held by the wrist by a tall man in dark clothing whose face was angry. But Mamoru stared at the girl. Her long, pale lavender hair was held back at the nape of her neck, the rest hanging loosely down her back, a little disheveled as two free locks of hair framed her face. Her blue eyes, similar to his own, were ablaze. And yet, Mamoru felt there was something not quite right with this seeming act of wrong. "Stop!" he yelled.

The pair turned slowly to face him, looks of surprises on their faces as the girl's wrist slipped out of the man's grasp, but they did nothing else. They were frozen in one position.

Mamoru let his mind slow for a moment as he thought of the correct words to use. "Leave her alone!" He almost felt as if he were Tuxedo Kamen.

The girl began to laugh. "Oh my! And who says chivalry is dead?" She smiled towards the man next to her, his face in a scowl.

His lips were drawn up pertly, his eyes slightly blank as he sighed, "Man, you just interrupted our best rehearsal!"

The girl shushed her friend and walked over to the slightly embarrassed Mamoru. "We were just practicing for a play we're doing. Though, if I ever am in trouble, I'd love to have you around, --?" she looked at him as if asking for his name.

He blinked and swallowed. "Chiba Mamoru. That is, to say, Mamoru." He said with slightly accented English.

She grinned. "Oh! You're from Japan!" She bowed slightly. "_Konnichiwa_," she began and continued speaking to him in English-accented Japanese, telling him that she was sorry to have caused any discomfort and to please forgive her friend, since he could be rude sometimes. "Oh!" she said, dropping the Japanese. "My name is Em, by the way. Em Rose. Nice to meet you," she said, extending her hand.

He smiled and took it, startled as he felt a tingle when they touched.

Her eyes widened, and she grimaced. "Hmm ... " she said looking around, "must be the static in the air."

"Em! Come one. Stop playing around. We need to practice!"

Em turned back to her partner. "Look, we've already been practicing for hours. Go home! And, there's no need to be rude to our friend, you know. I'm sure Mamo-chan here probably isn't feeling all that comfortable about now."

"Your friend," he mumbled. "Fine, Em, we'll practice tomorrow, I guess. See ya!" He waved casually to her and Mamoru and walked off.

She turned back to encounter a startled Mamoru. Her eyes widened in questioning, and then went wider with embarrassment. "Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry! I called you Mamo-chan! I know that's only used for … those that are close to you. It's just that sometimes I use it with my friends, and so it comes naturally. I'm sorry. Really." Her cheeks colored.

His cheeks colored as well, though not as much. "I understand. No apology is needed. Though, only my girlfriend calls me that."

She smiled. "Aww, that's so sweet! Do you have a picture of her?"

He nodded and dug out his wallet, opening it to show her a picture of a pretty young woman with blonde hair done up in pigtails that seemed to be wrapped around themselves in round balls with long locks of hair coming out of them. A picture next to it showed Mamoru with his arm around her shoulders. They both looked happy -- if she a little young.

Em stared at it, and for a brief moment she thought she saw the young woman in a white flowing dress and Mamoru dressed in somewhat formal attire, almost like armor. She blinked and the image was gone. A word escaped her lips with a sigh, "Shepherd."

Mamoru looked at her. "Pardon?"

She pulled away a little and shook her head. _What did that mean?_ "I'm sorry, nothing." She smiled, seeming a little forced. "She's very pretty. Though, she looks a little younger than most college guys' girlfriends."

He grinned. "Perhaps, but she is my Usako," he said almost charmingly. He looked at Em's questioning look and laughed lightly. "I am sorry. Usagi. Tsukino Usagi. That is her name, but I call her Usako."

"Tsukino Usagi," Em spoke softly as if thinking. "Rabbit of the Moon." The words seemed to echo.

Mamoru blinked in surprise. "Yes. Exactly."

Em looked at him and smiled questioningly. "Would you happen to be in the Advanced Japanese class?"

He nodded, and she grinned.

"Great! So am I! Though I'm surprised you are, you certainly don't need it. But, I suppose you wanted something familiar here, right?"

He was taken slightly aback. _How did she know that was what I was thinking?_ He just nodded.

She then took his arm lightly, looking up at him. "Well then, how about I get you more familiar with things around here?"

He stared into her blue eyes and blinked at a warmth unfamiliar to him, though touched with familiarity. He then smiled shyly and took her arm tighter into his, letting her lead the way.


	3. Part 2

**Sailormoon: Millennial Earth -- A Sailormoon Fanfic**

_**S**__ailor Galaxia has been defeated, and the year 2000 has finally arrived. The Sailor Senshi have now joyfully returned to their normal lives, albeit a little clouded with the departure of Mamoru. He now goes to finish his last semester of study abroad at Harvard -- his previouse semester having been sidelined. But nothing ever stays quiet for long. Will the Sailor Senshi have to power up again as Winter seems to linger on? And who is this American girl that Mamoru has grown close to? What adventures await as the new Millennium nears?_ _So begins the next installment of __**S**__ailor__**m**__oon. __**M**__illennial __**E**__arth._

**(Author's Note**: This story takes place after the end of Sailormoon Stars (using elements of both the manga and anime).

**Part 2**

"Em?"

A voice seemed to call out to her, but it seemed distant. Her eyes watched the dark gray clouds through tinted glass. She sighed heavily as she spoke softly to herself. "This weather isn't right. Spring should have been here a long time ago."

"EM!"

Something touched her arm, and she gasped as a light tingle shot through it. She broke from her gaze and stared across the table from her. She blinked. "I'm sorry, what did you say, Mamoru?"

His blue eyes narrowed slightly. He opened his mouth to say something, when a small group of girls from their Japanese class strolled by their table in the cafeteria and gave brief hellos. To him. Not Em. He smiled briefly, and turned his attention back to Em. The girls snickered, walking off, words escaping like "cute," "going out" and "too good for her" floating to their ears. "I said that I believe we should get going. The weather looks to be getting worse."

She looked at him. He was handsome, more than so, and yet, why did she hate looking at him that way? Many people had commented on their relationship, because they had become very close friends ever since they met. Like those girls, most were jealous. Her friends wondered why she didn't press the relationship further. She told them it was because he had a girlfriend. But, how could she really let them know the truth -- she didn't like him that way. They would think her a fool not to. He was the perfect guy to many. Not her, at least, not that way. How could she tell them he filled the empty void in her since her mother had died and she had felt alone in the world?

She sighed softly and nodded. "Yes, we better go."

They gathered their things and walked out of the cafeteria, pulling their coats close to them. It was only a week until Spring Break, and yet winter showed no signs of letting Spring enter. She looked up at the sky, walking slowly, laughing lightly, without mirth, thinking that the dark clouds seemed to reflect her mood, or was it the other way around? Something wet hit her face. She flinched. It was like a tiny pebble. A hand grabbed her arm.

"Em, run!"

She blinked, looked at Mamoru and realized small hail was falling all around them, softly, but threatening to increase. They took off running, ducking under a nearby gazebo. After having shaken the ice off, they sat on a small bench, watching as the hail turned to rain that poured down. An icy wind crept around them. Em stared at the falling rain, when she felt Mamoru's hand softly touch a shoulder.

"Em, what's wrong? You seem to be out of sorts. Actually, for awhile now. It seems to be increasing, and, as your friend, I am worried."

Without looking at him she sighed. She couldn't keep it from him anymore. Not and call him a friend. "My mother died a few months ago, during Winter break." She could almost feel his eyes fill with pity, but she didn't look up, and she didn't stop. She rushed on, as if trying to beat the rain. "My father died years ago. I don't have any relatives living, that I know of. No aunts, uncles, cousins. I'm alone. I've never been alone. When my father died, I had my mother. But now ..." She trailed off, and then continued, "and the worst part of it is, I found out that I was adopted. No one knows where I came from, who I really belong to, where I really come from." She turned to look at him, and encountered understanding eyes. "I don't know why I didn't tell you before, I guess because I felt no one could understand. But, we've become good friends, though I haven't really been one because I couldn't tell you about the most important thing that has happened in my life." It wasn't until he handed her a handkerchief to wipe away her tears that she realized she had been crying. She then let out a wail and fell against his chest sobbing.

He stroked her hair tentatively, whispering comforting words. "We all keep secrets, though they aren't necessarily bad. You are still my good friend. Although, I know how you feel, about feeling alone. I felt that for a good part of my life." He stopped for a moment, knowing what he was about to tell her was something private, and yet, it felt right. He then took a deep breath and continued. "When I was eight, my parents and I were in a car accident. They died and I was left with no memories of who I was. I was placed in an orphanage. No one ever adopted me. When I was old enough, I got a job and moved out on my own. For a few years after that, I felt lonelier than ever. Worse was the fact that I felt that something from my past was resurfacing, and yet I couldn't figure it out. That's when I met Usagi. Though it took awhile, she helped me find it."

Em had stopped crying as she listened to him, feeling comfort in his embrace. "Find what?"

He smiled softly. "Find out who I am. Not the past of the little boy with no parents or relatives, but the man who sits here, right now, with you."

She sighed softly. "That's it. I want to know that. I want to know who I am and how I fit. Somewhere. Anywhere. And my only clue," she said, wrapping her fingers around a silver necklace and pulling on it, "is this." From underneath her clothing, suspended on a necklace, a silver locket glimmered. She pulled it over her head and held it gently in her hands for him to see. "I was found with this. Somehow, it might be a clue, but I haven't been able to open it."

He looked at it, then at her and reached for it. As his palm touched the silver and his fingers touched hers, they both gasped as a warmth swept through them. Their wide blue eyes reflected each other's exactly. Em almost dropped the locket, but he caught it. He broke away from her gaze and examined the locket, letting his fingers unconsciously run over the engraved rose. _What was that? I know she felt it too, but ..._ He let the thought trail off as he tried to open the locket. It wouldn't budge. He tried harder, and then released it. He handed it back. "I don't want to break it." He avoided looking in her eyes. "Have you tried a jeweler?"

She nodded softly, slipping the necklace back over her head. "Yes, but he said he would have to break it. I can't. Not yet. I just have this feeling." She looked at him, and caught his gaze. _What was that feeling?_ She smiled lightly, and sighed in relief when he smiled back, though hesitantly.

"Well," he said, trying to break the tension, "someone somewhere should have some clue as to your past. No one could forget someone with that lavender hair of yours."

She gasped and stood up, her backpack dropping to the floor, eyes wide as she looked at him.


	4. Part 3

**Sailormoon: Millennial Earth -- A Sailormoon Fanfic**

_**S**__ailor Galaxia has been defeated, and the year 2000 has finally arrived. The Sailor Senshi have now joyfully returned to their normal lives, albeit a little clouded with the departure of Mamoru. He now goes to finish his last semester of study abroad at Harvard -- his previouse semester having been sidelined. But nothing ever stays quiet for long. Will the Sailor Senshi have to power up again as Winter seems to linger on? And who is this American girl that Mamoru has grown close to? What adventures await as the new Millennium nears?_ _So begins the next installment of __**S**__ailor__**m**__oon. __**M**__illennial __**E**__arth._

(**Author's Note**: This story takes place after the end of Sailormoon Stars (using elements of both the manga and anime) Obviously Sailormoon nor the characters, belong to me. However, new characters and representations of other characters in particular ways are mine. )

**Part 3**

Midnight blue pumps clicked on the cold, ice-blue marble steps as a woman made her way to the underground chamber of her castle. Her thin frame was draped in an ankle-length, form-fitting, velvet gown, the color matching her pumps. Her silvery-white hair hung uniformly down her back, picking up the cold grey of her determined eyes. Her pale skin seemed almost translucent in the dim light of the chamber, contrasting even more with the blue of her gown and seeming to pull tautly around the already sharp features of her face.

At the far end of the chamber two columns of pure ice stood -- each with a figure frozen into them. The woman stopped before them and stared. "Thallo," she breathed softly as she looked at the column on her left, "always young, always full of life." A young girl stared back at her. "Everyone always likes your youth. Your sparkling green hair the color of new grass; large blue eyes the color of a spring sky; pink flesh of a newborn babe ..." She trailed off and looked to the column on the right. "And Auxo," she chuckled ruefully, "on that fine line between staying a child and burgeoning into womanhood. Your full figure; waves of chestnut locks flowing around your coppery skin; eyes that flit between brown and green ..." she sighed softly and continued, "is it any wonder Auxo, and my dear Thallo, that I am always overlooked? Always dreaded? I am quickly wished away so that you, Thallo, may appear. And Auxo, you are always wished to remain, and I am held at bay by the prayers of foolish mortals. But no more. For I am the only Horae now. You will both be held in icy casings as this world succumbs to Winter." The woman began to laugh wildly, staring at the silent, fixed pleas of her sisters. "Only I, Carpo, remain." Her laugh echoed throughout the icy chamber.

* * *

"You are such a _baka_, Usagi!" Rei stormed towards Usagi, holding a broom that only moments before had been used for sweeping, but now seemed poised to be used as a weapon by the fiery-tempered, young priestess.

Usagi's face crumpled into her usual wail of tears. "WHAT! What did I do?" Usagi looked to her friends gathered around her, her blonde locks of hair flipping back and forth.

Rei stopped, heaving a huge sigh, her face frowning as she muttered something under her breath. Both Makoto and Ami shook their heads at the ensuing scene, while Minako attempted to hold in a giggle.

Rei shot a glare to Minako, took a deep breath and let it out slowly, the frown still apparent on her face. "Usagi," she paused somewhat calmly and then continued, "so, what you're saying is that Mamoru's been hanging out with this girl named Em, and you don't think anything suspicious is going on?"

Usagi blinked. "Suspicious? I ... don't understand."

Rei grunted softly. "You say when he speaks of her, it sounds like he really likes her?"

A huge smile crossed Usagi's face. "Yeah, she must be very nice!"

Rei let off a small scream and began, once more, to advance towards Usagi.

Minako started to laugh and hopped in front of Usagi, cutting Rei off from Usagi. She then patted Rei's head and turned to Usagi. "What she means, my dear, is that, don't you think that this Em chick is getting a little too chummy with your Mamo-chan? That, perhaps, possibly, something more than friendship could be brewing between them?" She paused as she noticed Usagi's blank stare and then continued, "something ... romantic?"

Usagi's eyes went round, and then she began laughing. "Is _that_ what has you worried, Rei-chan?" She continued laughing as she held up her left hand, a small ring sparkling in the afternoon sunlight. "Mamo-chan is very loyal to me. He would never cheat on me."

Rei pursed her lips and arched an eyebrow. "Yeah, but what about _her_? You don't know her or her intentions."

Makoto began to nod, finally chiming in to the conversation. "Rei's right, Usagi. Mamoru's a young, handsome guy. Any girl, whatever he may think, probably has him in her scope."

Ami slowly slid her book down, where she was half-reading and half-listening to the conversation, to speak up softly. "I don't know about relationships all that much, and what Rei and Makoto are saying may be true, but I don't think Mamoru's likely to become 'scoped'. Besides, he's coming home in a few of months, and then you won't have anything to worry about." The quiet, genius girl smiled softly at her pig-tailed friend.

Usagi shot a triumphant grin to Rei and a wink to Makoto. "See!"

Makoto chuckled softly, and Rei acceded with a roll of her eyes and a shrug, and then all the girls fell into a pile of laughter.

Suddenly a chill wind swept past the girls, tugging at their sweaters and coats causing their laughter to die. Rei stood up and looked towards the spring sky still cloaked in winter. "Why hasn't Spring come yet? It should have come weeks ago." Her arms wrapped themselves around her body. "I'm starting to get a bad feeling."

The girls all cast glances around, and Usagi finally spoke up, as leader. "Perhaps you should do a fire reading, Rei-chan?"

With a silent nod, Rei led the way into the temple, followed by her friends.

* * *

"What did you say?" Em frowned.

Mamoru cringed slightly. "I'm sorry. I probably shouldn't have said anything, since it's not exactly a natural hair color, and I'm sure you've gotten a lot of comments on it. It's not my business, I'm sorry."

Em took a few deep breaths as she shook her head and just stared at him. Her mouth opened and closed a few times. She then swallowed and whispered, "No one ... no one's ever ... except ... Mom ... and ... and ..." She trailed off, just shaking her head, then let her fingers wrap around her locket. She stared down at it, then at him, and then, grabbing her backpack, took off running under the winter-cold shower that should have been spring.


End file.
